Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause : An Evidence Map.

backgroundWomen seeking nonhormonal interventions for vulvovaginal, urinary, and sexual symptoms associated with genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) may seek out complementary and alternative medicine or therapies (CAMs). PURPOSE: To summarize published evidence of CAMs for GSM. DATA SOURCES: Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL from inception through 11 December 2023. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) 8 weeks or more in duration that evaluated the effectiveness or harms of CAMs for postmenopausal women with GSM and reported 1 or more outcomes of interest, with sample sizes of 20 or more participants randomly assigned per group. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were abstracted by 1 reviewer and verified by a second. DATA SYNTHESIS: An evidence map approach was used to organize and describe trials. Studies were organized by type of intervention, with narrative summaries for population, study characteristics, interventions, and outcomes. Fifty-seven trials were identified that investigated 39 unique interventions. Studies were typically small ( LIMITATIONS: Only English-language studies were used. Effect estimates, risk of bias, and certainty of evidence were not assessed.

conclusionThere is a large and heterogeneous literature of CAM interventions for GSM. Trials were small, and few were done in North America. Standardized population, intervention, comparator, and outcomes reporting in future RCTs are needed. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. (PROSPERO: CRD42023400684).